Window Dressing

As the great recession takes its toll on small business owners, we find ourselves working harder and putting in longer hours in an effort to bring in more new business.  To my delight, however, our business has picked up, thanks to our loyal clients from the past who are starting to get busier. This is how Customer Service is supposed to work!  It may not pay off immediately, but it sure pays off in the long run.  Customer Service is not just a department staffed by cheerful people who apologize for the mistakes of others, but a willingness on everyone's part to do what it takes to make everything right.

Our First Window, October 2001

Along with service, promotion is a key factor in getting your name out.  Lampworks' Designer Showcase Windows have been designed and installed by well-known interior designers since their inception in 2002. Past participants have included alumni of the Kips Bay Designer Showhouse, Holiday House and the office of Albert Hadley.  

Our current window was just completed by an interior designer with a fresh slant on things, Felicia Zwebner, of Art de Triomphe, LLC.  Each window has a theme and Felicia, in keeping with "everything French", has installed a table and chairs on a stone patio under a canopy of branches and moss.  But....the world has turned topsy-turvey!  The dining area is on a wall, our entrance stairs has morphed into a waterfall and you'll walk across the sky to enter the showroom alongside a Montgolfier!  So, stop by and see Felicia in Lampworksland. 

The benefit of these windows is plain to see (no pun intended), but for us it is the privilege of being in on the planning and installation.  My staff and I have so much fun watching and participating as the the windows come alive.  Thank you Window25, Faux Time Design, Gramercy Park Flower Shop, Kravet, Pierre Deux and Inkjet Textile Printing.   As Felicia states, "It's difficult to put together a great group of tradespeople like the ones I work with."  Our windows are a win-win effort that brings attention to the designer, our lighting, and the furniture, fabric, flooring and accessories that are loaned to us by area merchants.  Additionally, talented tradespeople get to strut their stuff where everyone can see how they use floral displays, paint clouds, and build beautiful upholstered balloons (yes balloons!).

It never ceases to amaze me how store owners neglect their best asset - their windows on the world.  Lampworks has become known for ever-changing, constantly amazing, creative windows.  Local shoppers, residents and other merchants tell us how they walk down 58th Street just to see what we've done with our window.  It keeps people looking into our showroom, and - we've proven that interior designers love doing windows!


PS: If you can't make it to NYC, you can see the window and read all about it in the Traditional Home magazine blog!










 

Insist on Good Lighting Wherever You Go!

If you ask any designer why they do what they do, most likely they will say that they want to make the world a more beautiful or perfect place.  It's not easy to go through life noticing what is right as well as what is askew.  We notice what clashes and try to make it harmonize.  We find something that isn't as it should be and try to fix it.  As a kid I'd see a frame hanging crookedly on a wall and straighten it - even if it wasn't my house!  It upsets me to see things out of balance.

This summer my husband and I spent some long weekends visiting with friends and relatives while staying in high-end hotels, budget motels and B&B's.  They all have different features, however, they have one thing in common; a lack of attention to how their guests use lighting.  As a matter of fact, even if a guest room  has been well planned, after a while it often deteriorates ...no one checks them again.  We all bemoan the fact that lighting is so important, yet we're willing to accept substandard lighting elsewhere.  Here are a few of my pet peeves....

1 - Missing finials. The lampshade falls off when reach over to turn it on.
Solution: Routinely check that they are tight or not missing.
2 - Low wattage bulbs for reading at bedside or on the desk.
Solution: Supply high-wattage bulbs with dimmers.
3 - Bedside lamps are centered on the nightstand but are too far away to be useful.
Solution: Give us slack on the cord so we can move it closer if necessary.
4 - Missing or blown-out bulbs and there are no replacements available.
Solution: Leave extra bulbs in the closet labeled with where they go.
5 - Incorrect or insufficient bulbs.  Housekeeping could care less what they've stuck in any socket.
Solution: Label or color-code replacement bulbs for the staff.
6 - A lamp is unplugged and the cord cord or receptacle is stuck behind a piece of furniture.
Solution: Check daily that everything is working!
7 - Two and three-way switches that never seem to coordinate with each other.
Solution: Label all unusual or multi-ganged switches. 
8 - Full length mirrors and mirrors over dressers that are in the dark.

Solution: Install a light above the mirror.

Lamps centered on nightstands look good but

are too far to reach and don't give adequate light.

   

 A good example of lighting above a mirror and

 cove lighting adds ambient warmth to the room.

Also, it's so tempting to leave the lights on when we don't have to foot the bill.  So where is our sense of sustainability as consumers?  US hoteliers should install the systems used by Europeans which automatically sense that you have left the room, and turn everything off.

Now that there are mandates for hotels to use CFL's, it would be great if housekeeping staffs replaced each bulb with the same kind.  It is sickening to apply makeup or read in green light, knowing that there are fluorescents available in the same color temperature as incandescents. 


It surprises me that housekeeping supervisors and hotel managers do not review  room lighting on a regular basis.  Perhaps they should spend a night in one of their own rooms. What do you think?

Where is our Catalogue?

Two weeks ago I turned on our main computer and tried to check email.  A message appeared in the bottom right hand corner of the screen telling me our (brand new) machine had lost it's internet and networking connections.  So, for the past two weeks we have been in Computer Hell.  This is where you are guaranteed to spend an inordinate amount of time if you think you know enough to outwit tech support.  Taking matters into your own hands, however, is better than getting stuck in Computer Limbo where you wait for your brother-in-law to show up to fix it for free, and hope that he doesn't make it worse.  If you're lucky, you'll go directly to Computer Heaven because you can afford a professional.  I won't bore you with the gorey details, suffice it to say that we thank our clients for bearing with us! 

While I spent my time with installation wizards ("watching paint dry"), I picked up a lot of sales calls from design firms who are reviewing their libraries.  They were inquiring about a catalogue.  We explained that our best sellers are on our site , but what we do best is create good-looking lighting the way you need it.  An example is our work with store development designers.  Years ago, when I worked for Bloomingdale's and Macy*s, I observed how important these often oversized, overscaled visual cues can be to the allure of the store and bottom line.  Sometines the most subtle design element can make a difference in the buyer's mood or perception of the product it was meant to enhance.

We love a challenge!  One of our clients, exclusive British childrens' wear designer, Marie Chantal, opted for drum shades wrapped in a special white tape with  floating linen diffusers.  We engineered them so that they would meet UL code in their US stores yet look the same as the original UK version.

Store design projects allow us to collaborate with top professionals such as the Store Development team of Polo Ralph Lauren where they design some of the most creative store fixtures in the world.  Currently, they are installing a store in Kuwait and recently completed one in Dubais.  For the Childrens' departments of these stores we created hand-sewn lampshade pendants on steriods!

Carolina Herrera commissioned a hand-blown chandelier in smokey brown crystal to match her dress satin and Bergdorf Goodman requested five original miniature chandeliers for their Celine windows on Fifth Avenue.

Sak's Fifth Avenue asked us to reproduce lamps for their Cosmetics Department that were originally made in France in the 1920's.  The assignment was to make an acryllic shade that would look like the original Lalique glass.

We enjoy seeing how beautifully everything turns out - the challenging part is the deadlines.  Yes, it's a scary world out there but no longer do you have to worry about whether your design will work.  You design it and we'll make it work.  That's our job.

"UL" Made Simple!

Many of our clients looked puzzled when we mention that

our lighting is UL.  So, let's set the record straight. 

Underwriters Laboratories® Inc. (UL), is an independent product safety certification organization.  UL does not “approve” products, rather a manufacturer of a UL-certified product must demonstrate compliance with the appropriate safety requirements, many of which are developed and updated yearly by UL.  A manufacturer must also demonstrate that it has a program in place to ensure that each copy of the product complies as well.  Some lighting manufacturers refer to their product as "built with UL parts", or having "UL components".  That's a good start of course - but their fixtures are not necessarily fabricated to UL specifications in a licensed UL shop.

So what's the difference?  Safety standards mandate that you not only use safer parts, but that you construct and configure lighting fixtures in a prescribed way.  For instance, floor lamps must be weighted to pass a "tilt test" and enclosed surface mount fixtures must withstand a "heat test".  Many European products have their own version of UL, however, their standards are different and do not comply with ours.  Some Chinese fixtures with a UL label may be questionable (See our 01/17 Blog).

All fixtures used for commercial, public spaces such as lobbies and hotel rooms must meet the most stringent UL standards.  This is particularly important for hard-wired fixtures; ceiling mounts and wall lights.  An example is the Park Lane Lobby.  Standards for residential lighting have become more strict in recent years as well.  One area to be more cautious about is "portable lighting"; plug in floor and table lamps, as they are often cheap imports that will ignore UL standards.  Look for a UL label on the socket or base.  On hard-wired fixtures it will be inside the canopy or backplate.

We work with a shop that has an "Open UL" license.  This allows us to rewire imported, one-of-a-kind, custom and antique fixtures so that they are compliant and safe.   It also makes sense to update an old table lamp with a UL grounded plug and heavier UL wire and socket.   In the event that there is an electrical fire and an insurance claim is made, one of the first things an adjuster will look for is the UL label. 

Would you buy a toaster that didn't have the UL label?   Keep in mind that lighting is not just a work of art - it has to function and be safe too!

Lamps Last? I Think Not!!

I've spent over 30 years in the Interior Design industry; half of that specializing in lighting.  With the new year, I have decided it's time to speak out in defense of decorative fixtures made in the West!

Many of Lampworks' clients are residential designers who bring their clients in at the end of a project.  Although our designers try to convince the end-users that lighting is an important part of the overall scheme, some consumers think they can get away with inexpensive Chinese knock-offs. To make matter worse, there's little left in the budget.  Then, they apologize that their clients expect to find quality fixtures at Chinese prices!   Lampworks offers a beautiful assortment of original chandeliers made in the US, Canada, Italy, France and the Czech Republic.  Yes, they do cost more than Asian imports.  Here's why....

Our authentic Versaille style chandeliers
are true to the originals, wired safely and
will be the antiques of tomorrow!

  Chinese imports often have long lead-times because retailers cannot afford to stock large quantities.  We can fabricate every fixture to order.  The price is much lower because quality is poor.  We make everything by hand and stand behind the quality.  Instead of cast brass that's hand-finished, it's made in white metal and poorly finished and assembled.  They won't last very long, and like cheap costume jewelry the finish wears out quickly. Our fixtures will last forever.  In addition, they have minimal wattage capacity, the UL can be questionable, and more importantly the scale and proportion is not correct to the design it pretends to be.

This Versaille style chandelier found on the internet,
bears no resemblance to the classic design,
and the quality is questionable.

Surely everything, including the lighting, should be considered part of the overall design scheme.  Lighting is as important as the HVAC, the kitchen appliances, and the upholstery.  After all - if it isn't just right, we won't be comfortable.  The right lighting will affect how we read, use computers, watch television, eat, cook, entertain and distinguish the navy blue from the black suit in our closet! I remember growing up with beautiful, glass lamps at my parent's bedside, cast brass sconces in the living room and a crystal chandelier in the dining room that today sell as antiques and vintage pieces.  They were not fancy "designer" lights but quality, made-in-America products that served our family well for over fifty years, and were classically designed so they never went out of style.  Will anything we buy today be worth something tomorrow?  Are we only putting good money after bad?


One cannot notice that the world has changed, however, there will come a time when the economy will improve and there will be nothing to choose from but junk.  Small fabricators pride ourselves on offering the "antiques of tomorrow".

So - before you run into that big box store for just any old lamp, or take a chance on that crystal chandelier you found on the internet, consider that "good enough" ends up in yard sales.  Lighting is a quality "appliance" that should work well to fulfill a need and at the same time be a beautiful work of art that you will enjoy for a very long time to come.

The Designers Lighting Forum has a Kid's Night Out!

I'm always looking for inspiration for my lighting designs.  What better way than to visit places that are beautifully lit?  And - when my husband, Dwight Tobin, hears that anything has to do with theater, well, he always comes along.  Dwight is a producer/director who spent his youth working in the Public Theater with Joe Papp.

So, this past Friday, there we were, together in front of an LED video screen that is 40 feet high and 90 feet wide as we stood on top of the stage where the Rockettes have been kicking off the Radio City Christmas Spectacular since 1932!  Imagine what it's like to stand behind that curved, velvet curtain that looks out over one of the largest venues built to accommodate both film and live theater.

We were greeted by a tall, curly-haired fellow named Charles, waving a handfull of blinking Christmas lights.  He led us up the dramatic stairway, through the quintessential Deco lobby and into the theater.  The show boasts a 3-D opening which is worth the ticket.

Afterward, we followed him again through the crushing crowds back in to meet the legendary theater's lighting designer, David Agress, who explained that until last year the LED screen was the largest in the world.  We were led past the control station of the hydraulic lifts that bring the scenery and actors up and down.  The dials, knobs and buttons are original and reminded us of a 1930's submarine!

It was arranged by our friend Charles Pavarini III, an active member of the DLF (Designers Lighting Forum), a group of lighting professionals.  A portion of the evening's proceeds was donated to the Nukoll's Fund for Lighting Education.

It's all very impressive - but gosh - when we put on those 3-D glasses, everything seemed so real - and it was really cool to reach out as Santa flew by and grab for those gifts!

Photography by Dwight B. Tobin © 2009

The Heart of an Artist

Charles Pavarini III, whom we are featuring in our window, invited us to join him and his partner Randall to attend a benefit concert last week given by Bernadette Peters to raise money for Broadway Barks. It was a spectacular evening of show tunes and ballads, glamorous Broadway legends and TV personalities. (Here I am at the cast party with Ugly Betty star Michael Urie) The music and performance was superb but what left me with chills was when Ms. Peters paraded dozens of shelter animals on stage, introducing each one and asking that we take them home. Ms. Peters is known to drive around the City picking up dogs from kill shelters and dropping them off to no kill shelters. And our friend, Charles Pavarini, is known to be on hand to enlist anyone who will participate in a good cause.

In that spirit, if our clients choose to forgo using credit cards, Lampworks will donate $25 on every invoice paid to underwrite Pet Rox. Pet Rox is a volunteer musical performance group of animal care professionals who donate their time and talent to raise money on behalf of NYC's animal causes. Projects include raising funds for shelters, adoption initiatives, and a retirement fund for NYC's Ground Zero search and rescue dogs.

So many pets have been abandoned and given away for adoption, now more than ever because of the economy, that our shelters are overburdened. Anything you can do to make the life of a dog or cat feel more at home, more loved or just plain easier is what art is all about. After all "art" is half of the word "heart".